Gun control policy makes sense

Thursday

Jan 17, 2013 at 8:44 AM

There have been great amounts of approval and, in contrast, great uproar over President Obama's policy proposal for reducing gun violence. This sensitive topic continues to be something the citizens of our country feel strongly about, as they should. A gun policy isn't something to be taken lightly for it will impact our world, and therefore we have to be careful in what we decide, or decline, to put into law.

BY JAKE BESSTeen correspondent

There have been great amounts of approval and, in contrast, great uproar over President Obama's policy proposal for reducing gun violence. This sensitive topic continues to be something the citizens of our country feel strongly about, as they should. A gun policy isn't something to be taken lightly for it will impact our world, and therefore we have to be careful in what we decide, or decline, to put into law.I want to begin by informing you all that I've reviewed Obama's plan (which you too may look over off a reputable news source's website.) I can assure you, it is quite straight to the point. I promise, folks, there is no report or possibility of a government takeover; such theories are doing nothing but creating negative press and harming the country's morale.In addition, the policy does not state anywhere guns will be banned (and/or stripped) from the citizens. Overall, it legitimately proves to be a valid example of how our country may establish precautions necessary to make tragedies, such as the Sandy Hook Elementary School incident where many of our citizens and children died, avoidable.In fact, the proposed strategies, such as requiring criminal background checks for all gun sales, providing more school resource officers to our wonderful public schools and strengthening the assault weapons ban, seem to be common sense initiatives our country needs and should have had years prior to now.In response to these, the comment, "People kill not guns," continues to flood in, and while I entirely agree, it still opens up the need to address who can get guns and which guns are accessible to the typical person in our country. I can't understand why a person would have the need to own a semi-automatic assault rifle and similar guns, which are made to kill, other than those in our armed forces. There's no reason for it.Regulation of guns does no harm to anyone, neither does it strip rights from anyone. The people of America, if they so choose, will still have the right to bear arms. The principle difference would be which guns a person may obtain.I've heard so many speak of a time they went to school carrying pocket knives without a second thought, and not understanding how today is any different. This is no longer that time, people. Americans need to realize this. Weapons are far too accessible for those looking to commit a crime in the 21st century, which creates this new call for regulation.As a young adult attending high school, working a part-time job and preparing for the life ahead of me, I maintain great pride in having a president and government examining how best to ensure my safety. While anything may occur within our lives, even with regulations, it should not prevent us from creating plans demonstrating caution and prevention. At the very least, in correspondence with new regulation, we can be at peace knowing we have done our best to secure the safety of our country.This is an opportunity to put our foot down and express how these acts of violence have got to stop. We are America the Great, and it's our duty to uphold such a reputation. But even more important than a reputation, it's our duty and promise to ensure that we are living in a country where we may feel safe, accepted and at home.It has come to the time when gun regulation needs to be stricter. This proposal is the stepping stone to taking us, as one unified group of people, back to feeling tranquility in our homes and out in public.

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